2021 New Year Remarks from Minister Takeda

TAKEDA Ryota

Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications

Happy New Year to all!

I was appointed Minister for Internal Affairs
and Communications in September of last year, andas such, take responsibility for various issues in the fields within its
jurisdiction.
This includes many fields closely related to citizens’ daily
lives, and many policies underlying our new vision for society andsocial structures. We are working to produce results with solutions
to issues, looking calmly and thoroughly at whether policies areappropriate for daily life from the perspective of citizens, withplans both to handle the COVID-19 pandemic and to revitalize
regional economies, building a high-quality economy and society
suitable for the post COVID-19 era.
For the “new norma l,” building information andcommunications infrastructure to support teleworking, remotelearning, and telemedicine will be essential. We are working toconsolidate national 5G and optical fiber networks quickly, andto promote the development and spread of Local 5G, which willcontribute to solving regional issues.
Regarding fees for mobile phones, which are a life necessity
for citizens, operators are announcing new, low-cost plans and therange of choices is expanding, but we continue to push hard sothat citizens have a real sense that they are benefiting from lower
prices, by promoting a fair competitive environment based on theAction Plan announced last year.
As all of society undergoes the current digital reformation,
we must also ensure that everyone is able to benefit from it. We
are providing comprehensive support to build an environment inwhich all citizens can handle digital devices to obtain and use theinformation they need.
To assure that citizens can use digital technology, it isextremely important to ensure safety, security and reliability
in cyberspace. To do so, we are building an environment for
integrated analysis of cybersecurity information and training
for related personnel. We have a strategy to develop advancedtechnologies intensively, such as quant um encr y ptedcommunication.

How each and every citizen uses digital technology is also
important. In particular, defamation of people on the Internet
must not be allowed. We are taking comprehensive measures,
including educational activities to improve information ethics andICT literacy and developing policies to prevent online defamation.
At the same time, we are gathering the knowledge andintelligence of government and the private sector, establishingR&D infrastructure for 5G and “Beyond 5G” technologies, andstrengthening the base for research and development on advanced
technologies such as quantum encrypted communication and AI
simultaneous translation, to improve industrial competitivenessin the post-COVID-19 world. To also encourage Japanesecompanies to run business in the global market, we will promote
the acquisition of intellectual property and the international
standardization of R&D results.
To contribute to the global digital revolution, we are alsoplanning to bridge digital divides with 5G and submarine
optical cables, and fostering international shared understandings
regarding the use of AI, the free flow of data, and other issues.
We are also supporting circulation of broadcast content
overseas, bringing the fascination of rural areas to the world. In
fields broadly related to citizens’ daily lives, such as postal service,fire prevention, government offices and statistics, the Ministry ofInternal Affairs and Communications is also mobilizing policy
resources to promote international development.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications isactively working to enable all of society through ICT, to realize
the services that our citizens have come to expect, and to createa society in which the benefits of digitalization can truly be felt.
Based on basic policies decided at the end of last year, we willcontinue collaboration to establish a digital agency as planned forthis year, and to promote cooperation regarding digital-related
policies with all related ministers.
I would like to extend New Year’s greetings to all and wish
everyone good health and happiness through the coming year!
New Year’s Day, 2021

New Breeze Winter 2021

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